Doll or toy figure with encased radio apparatus



May 17, 1949; 2,470,384

DOLL OR TOY FIGURE WITH ENCASED RADIO APPARATUS W. J. WALDRQN 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 29, 1948 Inventor Waller J. Wa/dron g eam May17, 1949. w. J. WALDRON DOLL OR TOY FIGURE WITH ENCASED RADIO APPARATUS2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 29, 1948 Inventor Walter J. Wald/on PatentedMay 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOLL OR TOY FIGURE WITH ENCASEDRADIO APPARATUS Walter J. Waldron, Pomona, Calif. Application November29, 1948, Serial No. 62,584

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a so-called radio figure, comprising anencasing body which may be given the appearance of a doll or of anyother figure used as a toy or for decorative purposes.

The main constructive dificulties encountered in connection with radioswhich are encased within the body of a doll or toy figure consist in thearrangement of the various parts of the radio which have to be placedwithin a substantially cylindrical cage or body, the base of whichconsists of an ellipse, an oval or an ovoid. Further difiicultiesconsist in the arrangement of the loudspeaker which has to be placed insuch a way that the openings from which the sound emanates areinconspicuous so that they do not interfere with the finished exterioror the looks of the doll or toy figure. A further difficulty consists inthe arrangement of the controls operating the tuning condenser, thevolume control and the like which should be readily and permanentlyaccessible, but should not interfere with the appearance and looks ofthe doll or toy figure.

According to the invention, these difficulties are overcome by placingthe controls for the tuning condenser and for the volume control, whichare the main controls of the radio set, approximately at the top or nearthe top of the cylindrical casing, in line with each other atdiametrically opposite points of the casing. The loudspeaker is turnedupwardly and is placed between these two controls. Moreover, accordingto the invention, the cylinder is subdivided by a horizontal shield orplatform arranged approximately at half length of the cylindrical casingwhich shield or platform serves to produce two compartments. The lowercompartment is again subdivided by a vertical deck or shield. Thisarrangement produces not only suitable decks for the tubes, theintermediate frequency transformers and other component parts, but italso provides an upper compartment in which the tuning condenser, theoutput transformer and the volume control may be placed. The twocoaxially located aligned controls at diametrically opposite points ofthe cylindrical body are located at the place at which the arms of thedoll or toy figure are hinged to the body and these arms may thereforebe used to move the controls. The loudspeaker whose mouth piece isupwardly directed emits its sounds through the head of the doll orfigure which is preferably mounted on the upper part of the cylindricalbody and which thus serves as a resonator or sound conducting body. Theupper part of the head may be provided with openings which. are suitably2 covered either with hair or with a bonnet carried by the head of thedoll.

Preferably the doll is seated in a chair provided with a box throughwhich the cable for the supply current may enter. The seat may alsocontain the antenna, if a loop antenna is to be used.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to so arrange a radioapparatus, which may be of the heterodyne or any other multiple tubetype that it will fill a space encased within a substantiallycylindrical body of elliptical, oval or ovoid cross section which may besurrounded by a doll or by a similar toy figure.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a substantiallycylindrical body of elliptical, oval or ovoid cross section which issubdivided by a horizontal deck at right angles to the cylinder axis,approximately bisecting the cylinder and carrying, in the uppercompartment formed by said deck, the components which are adjustable aswell as those which are connected with the loudspeaker while the lowercompartment formed below the horizontal deck is subdivided by a verticaldeck carrying the tubes and the intermediate frequency transformers, aswell as the filters and other components.

It is a further object of the invention to provide, in a radio encasedwithin a cylinder which is contained within or forms the body of a dollor another toy figure, radio control shafts for the two main radiocontrols, arranged coaxially at diametrically opposite sides of thecylindrical body encasing the radio, said shafts pointing in oppositedirections and projecting from the cylindrical body in order to be usedas the joints for OlIllIlg the arms of the doll or toy figure to itsody.

It is a further object of the invention to connect the arms of the dollor toy figure encasing the radio with the above mentioned shafts so thatthey may be used as control handles.

It is a further object of the invention to arrange, in radios encasedwithin a cylindrical body contained within or forming the main body of adoll or toy figure, a loudspeaker in the space between the two aforesaidcontrol shafts with the flaring mouth of the loudspeaker directedupwardly, the head of the doll or toy figure being fixed to thecylindrical body above the loudspeaker and being used as a sound boxfrom which the sound emanates.

Further and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdetailed specification.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings showing oneembodiment thereof.

3 It is however to be understood that this embodiment is shown by way ofexample only, in order to be able to explain the principle of theinvention and the best mode of applying the principle. The specificationand drawing will supply the expert skilled in the art with informationsufficient to apply the principle of the invention under diiferentconditions or in a modified manner and modifications of the embodimentshown in the drawings do not therefore necessarily constitute adeparture fromthe essence of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an outside view of the doll figure encasing the radio withparts of the figure being;

broken away in order to show the connection with the interior.

Figure 2 is an elevational side view of the" cylindrical body which iscontained within or forms the main body of the doll or toy figure.

Figure 3 is a. sectional elevational View through the radio apparatus,the section being taken along. a-plane of symmetry.

Figure 4 is asectional' plan view through the apparatus, the sectionbeing. taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5'is a. sectional plan view of the radio apparatus;-the sectionbeingtaken along line 5-5" of Figure 3.

Figure 6is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the apparatus,the section being takenalong line 6-6 of Figure3;

Figure '7 is a divisional side View of details. Figure 8- is apartly-sectional fragmentary view of a detail.

The radio apparatus shown in the drawings is encased within the figureof a. dell seated ina chair. shape, as will be clear; it may be a toyfigure, or a, decorative figure such as used for carrying a lamp orthelike- The sole condition which hasto be fulfilledl is that the upperportion of the body of the doll or figure must either accom'- modate ormust be formed-by the cylindrical body or case In which has anelongated, elliptical, oval. The doll. or toy figure:

or ovoid cross section. has preferably moving arms ll., l2 articulatedto the body of the figure close to the upper edge of' said cylindricalcasing 1.0. in a manner to be described.

The cylindrical case I01 is provided at its upper end with inwardlyinclined projecting strips 14- which maybe projecting. portions of thecase I0, on which the head [-5 of the doll or toy figurewhichisu'sua'lly made of plaster, of a compressed paper mass, of porcelain orthe like may be fixed. The head is hollow and is provided at its upperend with openings or slots (not shown) which are covered by the hair ofthe doll or by a bonnet. The head 15 serves as a sound conductor or as asound box, as will be explained below.

The cylindrical case ID, as. already mentioned, forms the body" of thedoll. or supports the said body and is therefore so arranged that thecylinder axis is in a substantially vertical position. It is subdividedby a horizontal deck plate filling the cross section and serving as asupport for the tuning condenser 27, the output transformer 24 and theloudspeaker 18 thelatter being supported bymeans of a bracket 2|.

The two controls of the radioapparatusnamely the tuning condensercontrol and the volume control, are in this case exercised by means oftwo control shafts 3'0, 31' which are mounted in suitable bearings orholders at diametrically op- The figure l3 may have any suitable improvethe'shape of thev figure.

be clutches providing a frictional load such as posite points of thecasing, preferably at those points which are farthest apart.

These shafts are aligned and are therefore coaxial. They projectoutwardly in opposite directions and are adapted for connection with amember forming the handle.

One of said shafts also projects inwardly and carries a pulley 33 which,by means of a belt or a steel tape 34, drives the pulley 35 on shaft 38of the tuning condenser 22. The pulleys may be held between brackets 31,38 one of which may be fixed to the deck plate 20.

The second shaft 3| may be directly connected with the volume control 38which is fixed to the casing on the inside.

As will. be seen, the belt transmission serves to keep the two shafts30, 3| aligned notwithstanding the fact that the tuning condenser isarranged on the deck plate 20 near the center. The projecting ends ofsaid shafts form trunnions on which the arms |l-, l2 of the; doll or toyfigure may bezfixed. Preferably sleeves or disks 40 are carried on theshaft ends, filling the space between the arms H, l2 and the body so asto These disks may described in my co-pending application, Serial No.57,996, filed November 2, I948.

The: armsv ll, t2 of the doll or toy figure are fixed to said disks bymeans of screws or the like as shown in Figure. 8; The arms may serve asa handle for adjusting the: tuning of the apparatus and the volume of:the tone produced.

The deck plate 20, as. will be clear, bisects the case l0 sothat twocompartments are formed. The lower compartment is again approximatelybisected in the vertical plane by means of the This deck plate, as seenvertical deck plate 39. in Figure 6, carries the sockets 4| for thetubes,

and the intermediate frequency transformers as well as other components:shown at 42 and 43'. These components fill one-half of the lowercompartment while the second half is reserved for the filters 44, the;filter condensers, not shown, and. for other components customarilyjoined :to the lead wiresnear thesockets.

The closing plate 45 may be arranged at the lower end ofthe lowercompartmnt. It may be provided with screw bolts for fixing thecylindrical body or case M] to-the chair on which the doll:

is seated or to the connection box 49 or to any other base supporting.the doll. The connection box 49 containsthe connections with the cable48 supplying the radio apparatus with current.

As will be. clear fromthe above description, the doll may be formedaround the cylindrical case lflor, if the doll is provided with aseparate bodyof stiff linen, celluloid or the like, the case is insertedand. is held within the said body of the doll and fixed on the chair bymeans of the screw bolts. The chair in this case forms the base ofthe-radio apparatus.

The arms of the doll are then placed on the shafts 30 and 3| and arefixedonsaid shaft. The

head of the doll is then placed on the stri s l4 just above the mouthpiece of the loudspeaker I8 and the radio apparatus is then ready foraction. It is adjusted byturning the arms around the shaft serving aspivots.

The switch for cutting inthe current; may be associated, as usual, withthe. volume control and. it is therefore operated by operating one ofthe arms.

It will be clear that the doll or toy figure may cover a. high type ofradio apparatus which is capable of any desired performance. Themanipulation is extremely simple, While at the same time the apparatusdoes not in any way interfere with the design or the appearance of thedoll or toy figure.

As most radio apparatus are provided with a lamp indicating that saidapparatus is supplied with current, the casing may be provided with sucha lamp 50 in its front portion which may be observed through sometransparent portion or ornament of the doll.

It will be clear that details which are not essential may be variedwithout departing from the essence of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. As an article of manufacture a radio apparatus encased within thefigure of a doll, comprising a vertically arranged cylindrical casehaving an elongated cross section, subdivided by a horizontal deck plateinto an upper and lower compartment, a vertical deck plate subdividingthe lower compartment, a tuning condenser and a volume control arrangedin the upper compartment, aligned coaxial control shafts positioned atdiametrically opposite points of said casing, projecting outwardly fromsaid casing in opposite directions, said shafts being connected with thetuning condenser and the volume control respectively, articulated armsfor the doll figure fixedly mounted on said shafts, said arms serving ashandles for the control of the tuning condenser and of the volumecontrol.

2. As an article of manufacture a radio apparatus encased within thefigure of a doll with articulated arms, comprising a. verticalcylindrical case having an elongated cross section, a horizontal deckplate, dividing the case into an upper and a lower compartment, saiddeck plate carrying the tuning condenser, a loudspeaker and an outputtransformer carried by said deck plate, a vertical deck plate,subdividing the lower compartment, tube sockets and intermediatetransformers supported by said vertical deck plate, aligned coaxialcontrol shafts in the upper portion of the upper compartment, arrangedat diametrically opposite points of the cylindrical case, said shaftsprojecting outwardly in opposite directions from the case, means fortransmitting a rotary motion from one of said shafts to said tuningcondenser, said means including pulleys and a belt transmission, avolume control carried by the case concentrically with the control shaftin the upper compartment, seated for direct operation by the secondcontrol shaft, and means for fixing the arms of said doll figure to saidshafts to serve as handles for the adjustment of the tuning condenserand volume control.

3. As an article of manufacture a radio apparatus encased within thefigure of a doll, with articulated arms, comprising a verticalcylindrical casing having an elongated cross section, a horizontal deckplate, dividing the case into an upper and a lower compartment, a tuningcondenser for the radio apparatus carried by said horizontal deck plate,an output transformer carried by said plate, a loudspeaker carried bysaid plate, arranged with its mouth piece turned upwardly and locatednear the upper end of the cylindrical case, a vertical deck plate,subdividing the lower compartments, tube sockets and tube held therebycarried by said vertical deck plate, intermediate transformers carriedby said deck plate, aligned coaxial control shafts in the upper part ofthe upper compartment arranged at opposite sides of said loudspeaker andat diametrically opposite points of the cylindrical casing, said shaftsprojecting outwardly in opposite directions, means for transmitting arotary motion from one of said shafts to said tuning condenser, saidmeans including pulleys and a belt, a volume control arranged coaxiallywith the control shafts and carried by the case, said volume controlbeing seated coaxially with the second shaft for direct operation by thesame, means to fix the articulated arms of the doll figure to saidshafts to serve as handles for the adjustment of the tuning condenserand of the volume control, a hollow doll head provided with openings,arranged directly above the upwardly turned mouth piece of theloudspeaker, to act as a sound conductor channel.

4. As an article of manufacture a radio apparatus as claimed in claim 3wherein the upper portion of the case is provided with inwardly turnedstrips for supporting the head of the doll.

WALTER J. WALDRON.

No references cited.

